Through my eyes
by IvyGreen13
Summary: When Eponine is attacked, Enjolras saves her. When Enjolras lands himself in jail, Eponine saves him. But afterwards, they hurt each other more than they could imagine.Not only this, but Lamarque has just died and they are preparing the barricades. Who will die? Who will live? Read about the revolution through their eyes and the eyes of others. Hope you like the story!
1. Chapter 1

**Gavroche**

I don't look twelve. I look eight. Like a baby. Like a girl, even, with my long hair. But if you look closer- look at my face- you will see the look in my eyes that suggests that I have been alive for many, many, years. I sleep in the attic room, above the Musain cafe tonight. Eponine is watching the little ones. Azelma... well, who knows where she goes nowadays. I hear voices coming from downstairs. It's Enjolras speaking.

"Yes, that's all good and well, but what to do with little Gavroche?" Little Gavroche. God, I hate that nickname. I'm twelve!

"They treat me like a child," I mutter to myself, "Like I'm not of any use."

You're not of any use, whispers a voice in my head, You're just a baby.

"Shut up," I say aloud.  
"Gavroche can take care of himself," says Courfeyrac. Good old Courfeyrac. He knows that I'm not a little kid.

"No, he can't. He's just a child," says Grantaire, angrily. I hear his chair scrape.

I hear Joly leap up to stop one of the brawls that happen so frequently now that tensions are so high and the rebellion has almost begun.

I hurry down the stairs and into the barroom. We practically own the cafe, because the owners love our cause, so we can be in here as long as we want. We even sleep here sometimes. Like tonight. I sit down on the stairs.

Marius seems dazed. Enjolras is talking.  
"...We need a sign! To rally the people, to call them to arms!"

Grantaire looks up with a wicked grin, and says:  
"Marius, wake up! What's wrong today? You look as if you've seen a ghost. Have some wine and say, what's going on?"  
"A ghost, you say?" mutters Marius, "A ghost, maybe. She was just like a ghost to me. One minute there then she was gone."  
My head jerks off my hands. What?

Grantaire's eyes widen.  
"I am agog! I am aghast! Is Marius in love at last? I've never heard him 'ooh' and 'aah'."

He chuckles.  
"You talk of battles to be won, and here he comes like Don Juan. It is better than an opera."

We all laugh, except for Enjolras. He steps forward.  
"It is time for us all to decide who we are. Do we fight for the right to the night at the opera"- he spits the word- "Now? Have you asked of yourselves, what's the price you might pay? Is this simply a game for a rich young boy to play?" That cuts deep. We all know Marius is ashamed of his wealthy past.

"The colors of the world are changing day by day."

I groan. I know where this is heading. He brings this up every time.

"_Red, The blood of angry men_," he sings, "_Black, the dark of ages past, red, a world about to dawn, black, the night that ends at last!_"

I soon get tired of this (It's not hard- I've heard the song too many times-) and slip out. I spot Azelma, who is bursting with news, I can see. I run up to her.

"What is it?"  
"Lamarque!"

"What?"

Her mouth opens and closes, then she says, "He's dead."

"Listen, everybody!" shouts Courfeyrac, once I get back, "Listen to Gavroche!"

"General Lamarque is dead." I say. I swallow, and run upstairs. I've met Lamarque once. And he gave me ten francs. Ten francs! To a poor beggar boy! Why? I couldn't know. But it kept bread on our table- fed my brothers and I, at least. Eponine and Azelma help us best as they can, but it's obvious they can't do much. Our parents- if you can call them that- were the dishonest inkeepers, the Thenardiers. They only loved their daughters. My brothers and I were abandoned when I was six. But General Lamarque... He helped us when we were near to death. I hear the men downstairs cheering. Why are they celebrating a death? I climb out my window, holding tightly to the pane, and then climbing down the roof. This is where I sit. I lie back, and even though it's quite early, I fall asleep.

**Enjolras**

"Gavroche!"

The scream cuts into the loud conversation. A girl runs in, her black hair soaked and sticking to her face. The crowd of students parts to let her pass. As she nears me, I get a good look at her. She's hungry looking. Her dress is tattered, torn. Her eyes are blazing with rage. It takes a second before I realize the anger is directed at me.

"Hello, madmoiselle, can I help you?" I ask, deciding the best thing is to be polite.

She's not diverted.

"You complete nutjob! You idiot, you... moron!"

I frown, about to toss a retort back at her.  
"What's the matter, miss?" asks Courfeyrac, "I believe you are looking for Gavroche?"

She turns to me again, ignoring him.  
"You twit, what have you done with my brother?"

"What are you talking about? He's asleep," I say, "Upstairs."

"No. He isn't. He's on the roof. Asleep. You," she spits, turning to Courfeyrac, "Were supposed to watch him! He could fall!"

Courfeyrac gives her a steady look and says calmly,  
"You're underestimating Gavroche. It's true, I am supposed to watch him. But give him some credit. He can take care of himself. He's twelve, not eight. And I know he hates being treated like a child."

"He is a child!"

He raises an eyebrow.

"Really? He isn't anymore, not really. He's been living alone for... what, six years?"  
"It doesn't matter. He was left in your care."  
"He wasn't left in anyone's care. He's independent. I choose to watch him, because he is only twelve, it's true. But I know he's okay now, because I know him."

I slip upstairs to get Gavroche. Sure enough, he's fast asleep on the roof. I shake him awake.

"Gavroche," I say, crouching down, "Wake up."

He sits straight up, groggy.  
"Wassamatter?"

"Your sister's here. Eponine. She's spitting mad that we let you fall asleep on the roof, and she's arguing with Courfeyrac."

"Shoot," says Gavroche. He slips back through the window, and I follow him.

By the time I get downstairs, he's getting yelled at.

"... I can't believe you did that. Vick and Oliver are counting on you!"

"I fell asleep on the roof one time! I'm fine."

"Gavroche..." she sighs, "Don't do it again, that's all."  
He nods.

"'Night, 'Ponine."  
After she leaves I beckon him over.  
"How do you calm her down so fast! You only said one thing!"

"Years of practice."  
I nod, acting like I understand. I don't. I've never had a sibling, or anyone I was close to. My mother died when I was three. My father... well, he really didn't care about the poor people of France. Or me, for that matter. I left the house when I was fifteen because of that. Friends of the ABC is my family now, and I'm fine with that.

"I'm turning in," says Grantaire.  
"Doesn't matter. It's not like you're any help. You don't believe in anything, and you spend most of the time sleeping anyway," I say scornfully. I don't know why I'm in such a bad mood. Apparently Joly has the same thought.

"Easy, Enjolras. What's gotten into you?"

"Sorry."  
We all listen to Joly. He's the calm one of the group, even though I'm the leader.

I look around the cafe. Everyone is where they should be. Grantaire is asleep. Joly is talking to Musichetta. Courfeyrac is playing chess with Gavroche. Combeferre and Marius are deep in conversation. I slip out the door. I'm not sure where I'm going, but I do, just letting my feet take me. When I stop, I realize I'm in front of Gavroche's little apartment. I knock on the door, again not sure what I'm doing. I hear footsteps approaching. Why am I here again?

Eponine opens the door.

Oh, yes. It was a suicide mission. After today, she probably hates me.

"Oh. It's you," she says, seeming disappointed.

"What's wrong with me?" I ask, irritated.

"You're not Mar-" she shakes her head, "Never mind."

I frown, confused.  
"I'm not... Marius?"  
Her face turns red.  
"No! Forget I said anything! It's nothing!"  
I raise my eyebrows.  
She sighs.

"No, it isn't nothing. But," she begs, "Please don't tell anyone! Grantaire would never let me hear the end of it, and I'd die if Marius knew!"

I don't really hear her- I'm only just figuring things out.

"Wait... that's why you're always following us! That's why they call you Marius' shadow!"  
She nods.  
"Please! Don't tell him!"  
I frown. I've never had patience for love. According to Grantaire, I have a heart of stone, so now he and some of the others call me 'Marble'. But if I do tell Marius about this Eponine, he'll get even more dreamy-eyed than he has since he met that Cosette character.

"Fine. I won't."  
She throws her arms around me and I flinch. I hate physical contact. No one has hugged me since I was five, and honestly, I'm quite fine with that.

"Thank you so much, Enjolras!" she says.

She releases me and runs back into her house without even asking why I came.


	2. Chapter 2

**Eponine**

The barricade is up, made only of furniture. The students are standing there, their backs to me, listening to one of Enjolras' legendary speeches. But then a gun fires, and it hits right into the middle of the crowd. It parts, and I see a moaning Combeferre lying there. More shots. More people knocked down. Grantaire. Courfeyrac. Joly. Then a gun is trained on Marius. It gets him, straight through the heart, and I hear a loud scream. A girl, Marius' Cosette, rushes down in tears. I do nothing. My eyes are glued to the battle taking place. The others are shot down, one by one, until only Enjolras is left. He climbs the drainpipe of a building holding onto the red and black flag, and plants it on the top. The building is the ABC cafe. I see the soldiers doing something at the base of the building, and then they run back. And the building is blown sky-high in an explosion of flames, furniture, and flesh. I see a figure in a red coat- Enjolras- flying towards the ground.  
"No!" I leap forward. Time seems to slow down, but I know I'll be too late...

I sit straight up in bed, covered in a cold sweat, my scream frozen on my lips.  
I think about the strange dream about the barricade. Why was it Enjolras that I leapt to save and not Marius? Why was Cosette there? Why was the barricade a failiure?  
And then it hits me.  
"Mon dieu!"  
The dream... it can only be the truth. This is what will happen when the students create their barricade.

* * *

I run through the dark night barefoot, panicky. Enjolras told me where he lives long ago- now I just have to get there before it's too late.

All of a suddden, hand grabs my wrist and yanks me into a dark alley. I kick and fight, looking for my kidnapper. Then a strange light appears, and his face is illuminated.  
"Montparnasse!" I gasp.  
"Hello, 'ponine," he sneers.

"Let go of me!"

He holds something up- the source of the light. It's a freshly polished, sharp dagger.

"Best keep your mouth shut."

"What do you want?"  
"Your daddy cheated me. He owes me two hundred francs. You better get me that money, or you'll pay."  
"Montparnasse, I told you! I cut off all ties with him! I took Gavroche and Vick and Oliver and moved them into a different apartment with me!"

"Get me that money, or I'll tell him where you are."  
I nearly scream.

"No, don't do that!"  
"Then I need those two hundred francs."  
"I told you, I can't get it!"  
He frowns, and brings the knife close to my neck. Then I hear footsteps.

"Help!" I scream, "In this alley! Help! I'm being attacked!"  
The footsteps grow louder and faster.

"Zut," growls Montparnasse. He drags the knife diagonally across my face, from my temple to the tip of my shoulder. Then he runs away. I blink the blood out of my eyes and see a figure standing over me.  
" Monsieur Enjolras ?"  
"Eponine! What on earth are you doing here?"

Then he notices the cut on my face.  
"Good god!" he exclaims.

I stand up, and I wobble a little on my feet. The blood is still flowing from the wound, hot and sticky.

He grips my upper arms, helping me stand, and examines the wound. His deep blue eyes widen.

"Eponine, we need to get you to a doctor!"  
I shake my head rapidly, imagining what Papa would do to me if he found out I let a rich boy take me to a doctor without extracting money from the boy first. And I can't steal from Enjolras.  
He misinterprets the shake of my head, and says,

"It's no trouble, you need medical help!"

"I don't, really. I'm fine. I've had worse..." I trail off, realizing I just gave something away.

"No, come with me."

I'm losing blood, and I'm feeling dizzy.  
Nonetheless, I say,

"I couldn't, I have no money."

"Nonsense," he says stubbornly, "Joly is a doctor, he'd be happy to do it for free."  
I nod then, giving in.  
"Thank you so much, monsieur!"

"You're a citizen of France, are you not? You are one of the people we are fighting for."  
This reminds me of why I was on the street to begin with.  
"Sir, about the barricade-"

He cuts me off.  
"Rest." He lifts me. "I'll take you to Joly."

I'm about to protest, but he starts walking. The rocking and the dizziness combined makes me feel sick. I start seeing spots and then all goes black.

* * *

**Joly**

I sit on my couch speaking to Musichetta, when someone pounds hard on the door.

"Let me in!"

It's Enjolras.

"I'm coming!"  
He bangs again.  
"I said, I'm coming!"

I get up and open the door. What I see makes my jaw drop.

"What on earth...?"  
He cuts me off sharply.  
"Her name's Eponine. Marius' shadow, remember?"  
Yes, I do.

"But why," I ask, "Is Monsieur Marble carrying a girl?"  
"She's wounded. And unconsious."  
I look closer and gasp. The girl, Eponine, has a deep wound from her right temple to the tip of her left shoulder.  
"Lay her out on the couch," I tell him, "I need my bag."

When I come back, I say, "What exactly happened?"

He frowns.

"I'm not sure. I was walking, and I heard someone scream. I ran over and I found Eponine alone, with a knife lying next to her. So I brought her here, because you are the best doctor I know."

Musichetta stands up.

"Could someone please tell me," she spits, "what exactly is going on in here? Why is Enjolras carrying that slimy gutter rat?"  
Enjolras' fists clench, and I hurry forward to stop him yelling at her.

"Musi, please," I beg.

"No! I'm tired of this, Joly! Whenever I come here, it's always someone or other wounded urchin entering! I am done here!"  
"Joly," says Enjolras, "She's losing blood."

I pale in alarm.  
"I love you, Musi, but please try to understand..."  
She gives me a withering glare and slams the door, interrupting my sentence.  
I groan.  
"Joly! We have more important problems than your love life!"  
I'll sort it out later.

"Coming."  
I look at the girl.  
"It's deep. She'll need stiches."

"Will it hurt her?"  
"It will, but it's the only way."

"All right."  
I have the girl bite down on a cloth, as I have no ether with me now.

"Take her to the attic room in the Musain." I tell him.

"Will she get better?"  
"She will," I say, with more certainity than I feel.

* * *

**Gavroche**

I'm sitting with a mug of scalding hot black coffee clasped in my hands when Joly comes up to me.

"Gavroche?"  
"Yes?"

"You're a Thenardier, right?"

"I changed my name to Patria, so did 'Ponine and the boys, but yes, that was my given name."  
"You're Eponine's sister?"  
"Yes. Why?"  
"Come with me."  
I bite my lip as Joly leads me up the long staircase, a growing feeling of apprehension inside me.

He opens a door.

"Brace yourself."  
I enter the room and set down the coffee. Then I look up.  
"Eponine!" I whisper.

Her face and her left shoulder is covered in a bloody bandage, and I can see the corner of a gash poking out of both ends.

"What happened?"  
"Enjolras found her."  
Her eyes flutter and she says,  
"Gavroche?"  
"What happened, 'Ponine?"  
"Montparnasse... Papa owes him money... he slashed me."  
"Why? We're not Thenardiers anymore!"

"He didn't believe me- Gavroche, I tried to tell him, he didn't listen. Enjolras came but before he saw me Montparnasse slashed me."  
"I'm going to kill Montparnasse."  
"No!" She props herself up on her elbows, "'Roche, don't do it! He'll kill you! Joly-" she turns fiercely upon him, "Make sure he doesn't or I will get up and do it myself!"  
She will, too.

He backs up in alarm.

"No, don't worry. You just get well."

He hisses in my ear, "Do not go after that man. Do you want your sister sicker than she is?"  
I nod.

"I won't."

"Good," I say, "Rest, Eponine."

I turn and head back downstairs, only to be confronted by the sight of Enjolras staring me down.

I step back, startled.

"How is she?" he asks, "Can I see her?"  
"I'm no expert, but she's pale and sweating. Did you see if Joly let her sniff a cloth before operating?"  
Like I said, I'm no medical expert, but I know that sometimes doctors give patients special cloths to sniff that numb them for a while.  
"No. He said he didn't have any... ether, I think it was called, but anyway, that's beside the point. Can I see her?"  
"Go ahead."  
He hurries off.

_Why does he care so much about my sister?_


	3. Chapter 3

**Enjolras**

I climb the stairs to the attic.  
"Enjolras?"  
"Hello, Eponine," I say quietly.

She smiles.

"You need to tell me...What happened?" I ask.  
She sighs.

"I suppose you'd find out one way or the other. You've heard of my father?"  
I nod. The Thenardier, wanted for every crime known to mankind.

"Well, Gavroche, Azelma, the little boys, and I left him. We changed our names to Patria."

I smile. Many say that 'Patria' , which means homeland in spanish, is the only woman I love.

"Good choice."

She grins, and then continues her story grimly.

"But many still think that we have ties with him. One man, Montparnasse, is a part of Papa's group, the Patron-Minesse. He said Papa owed him two hundred francs and cut me. That's when you came."

"Ah. I see," I mumble. And then, at a loss for what to say, I mutter, "Rest, Eponine, and heal fast. We're all worried about you."

* * *

I see Joly heading up to me.  
"Enjolras, I'm sorry about last night. Musi's not always like that."

I frown.  
"We fight against people like her, Joly."  
"Please, Enjolras, don't hold a grudge! Remember that she works here at the cafe! For the sake of the revolution, don't fight with her again."  
I shrug.

"It doesn't matter."

I leave the cafe. I suppose I should talk to her for Joly's sake, so I start looking for her. I find her at the market.  
"Musichetta."  
She turns around.  
"Oh, it's you. Well, what do want, and hurry."  
I bite my lip. How to say this?

"Joly's quite sorry about what happened last night. So am I, but I found the girl wounded, lying on the street. You're a good person, you'd have done the same. Joly and I have no anger directed at you for what you said. We both understand that you were quite tired that night, and taken off guard. I have come to ask you to forgive him."  
"Well, another legendary speech from Enjolras Liberté. Don't worry, I was about to reconcile with him anyway."

I turn to go.  
"Oh, and Enjolras?"  
"Yes?"  
"I'm sorry about what I said. You're right, I wasn't thinking."

I nod and walk on.

* * *

"Boy!" I hear a voice yell.

I whirl and see Gavroche being held in the air by the scruff of his collar. The man holding him seems to be a police officer. He wears a uniform. On the uniform is a silver flower-shaped medal with a red strap.

"Pickpocket!" continues the man, "Urchin! Gamin! Thief!"  
"I have a name, you know," Gavroche says cheekily, "It's Gavroche."  
"And I'm Javert! Do not forget my name! Do not forget..."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," interrupts Gavroche, "I heard you the first five million times you said that. You have quite a massive mouth."  
Javert's face turns purple, and he looks as though he's about to hit Gavroche. Without thinking, I dive forward.  
"Let him go!"

I land flat on my bum at the officer's feet.

I grin nervously up at him, praying inwardly that he doesn't recognize me as the leader of the revolution.

"Funny thing happened to me at the library the other day..."  
Gavroche starts to laugh.

"Quiet, both of you fools!" shouts Javert.

He peers closer at me.

"You're the rebel leader," he says, "Jail."

And I end up sitting at the bottom of a dank, dusty, and fetid prison cell next to Gavroche.

* * *

"Let me out!" I say, banging on the walls.

No one replies.

"I, Enjolras Liberté, in the name of Patria, say let me out of here or I will skin you alive!"  
That does nothing to help the guards' already very bad moods. I groan.

"We're in here forever."  
"No, we're not."

I look at Gavroche, who is speaking for the first time.

"Trust me. I've been in jail about a hundred times. Just watch. I'll get us out."

I'm not entirely sure whether I should be worried about Gavroche's criminal record or happy that we'll soon be free.

"Look pale," he tells me.

"What?"  
"Just do it!"  
I do my best to look sick. He rolls his eyes.  
"You know, you should consider a career as a thespian."

"Shut up."  
He grins, and then turns around to speak to the guards.  
"This man is ill," he says, "Is there nothing you can do to help us?"  
They give him a glare and say,

"Nice try, but I've heard that one ten times over."

He groans.  
"It didn't work."

I stare at him, confused.

"It's worked before?"  
"No," he admits.  
I sigh and sit back.  
I guess we'll be in here for a while, then.

But then I hear a clanking sound.

A jailer grabs me by the wrist and yanks me up.

"You," he grunts, pointing to Gavroche and I, "Are free. Get out."

"What-" I stammer, wondering who set us free.

"Out!"

Not wanting him to change his mind, I grab Gavroche and drag him out into the sunlight. I look around for our saviour and spot a figure. Tangled black hair, worn dress, fresh scar...  
"Eponine! Why are you out of bed! You're hurt, for god's sake!"

She ignores me and turns to Gavroche.  
"'Roche! Are you alright? Why were you in jail?"  
He grins sheepishly.  
"I tried to pick Inspector Javert's pocket."

"You idiot! Why on earth would you do that?"  
"He seemed loaded!"  
She's about to say something else when I interrupt.

"Listen, Eponine. Thank you for getting us out of jail, but we could have done it ourselves. Gotten Joly or Courf to do it, or... something. But- you're hurt! You have a knife wound across your face, so stop trying to be noble!"

She glares at me.

"You think I did it for you? Gavroche is my brother, you conceited fool."  
My face grows hot, and she continues.

"What makes you think that you can order me around? I am sick of you! You think you know everything and you treat me like I'm six! You are a vain, self-absorbed idiot! Just... shut up and get out of my life! You know _nothing _about me, or any of the poor of france. And you think you can lead a revolution. You're only a stupid burguoise boy who likes to play war."  
I'm practically spitting my words now with rage.

"You know what, Eponine? You're the idiot. You think that everyone's world revolves around you. Well, guess what? I have better things to do than entertain some lousy gamin!"  
Her eyes widen as though she's been slapped, and she runs away in the direction of the woods. Gavroche punches me in the gut and runs to the Musain. And I'm left alone, regretting my words.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi! Sorry I took so long to update, but I was having a really hard time thinking of what to write next. I'm sorry if this chapter isn't that good, but like I said, I didn't have too many ideas. Thanks to idreamadreamtoo and meow1413 for reviewing, it's really nice when I know that people like what I write. ****So... I hope you like this chapter!**

**Eponine**

"'Ponine, are you alright?"

"'Ponine, why are you crying?"  
"Ponine, is there anything I can do?"  
As I scramble through the streets this is all I hear, from various friends of mine in the slums. Oh, God, I could have borne anything from Enjolras but that cold, hateful rage.

I reach the woods and keep running.

When I can't run anymore, I collapse onto a tree stump.

"What have I done?"  
It's his fault, a voice in my head tells me, It's his fault, don't worry.

But is it?

I yelled at him.  
I called him an idiot.

I called him vain and self-absorbed.

I told him to shut up and get out of my life! And... I insulted his revolution.

Mon dieu, what sort of an awful person am I? I shot down the thing that means the most to Enjolras. He didn't deserve anything like that... he was just trying to be kind.

He cares. Which is the most anyone has done for me in a long time.

No, I correct myself, he cared. Past tense. He probably hates me now. No wonder. I'd hate me too. I do hate me.

Oh god, I wish things were how they used to be. How they were after I met Les Amis.

_Four years ago_

_I'm nearly out of my mind with panic. Azelma and Oliver have disappeared. Vick is coughing and Gavroche's lips are blue. I lift Vick up and take Gavroche's hand._

_"Come on, we need to find 'Zelma and Oliver." _  
_We start to walk, but it's pouring rain and freezing, and we don't move very fast. We've reached the square and are looking into shops when a young man stops us. He has curly black hair and long sideburns. Very long sideburns. _

_"What are you three doing out here?" he asks us._

_"Our sister's gone missing. And our little brother. They're eleven and three, we're worried about them."_

_He nods. _  
_"How old are you?"_

_"I'm thirteen, Gavroche's eight, and Vick's three."_

_"I'm Courfeyrac, I'm eighteen. I'm a student. Come with me, you look half starved and freezing." _  
_He leads us into a small building with a sign that says Musain on it in big letters._

_"Welcome to the cafe Musain."_

_I step in and am bathed in a warm glow. People are chattering all around me. Students are everywhere. I look around me, trying to capture everything in this place. A student with a briefcase and an intelligent face is waving a bottle of medicine in another student's face. One is writing in a book. One of them is standing on a table and speaking._

_"When is this going to end? France needs her liberty!" _  
_He's only a year or two older than me, with curly blond hair and blue eyes._

_I turn to a awkward-looking boy who seems kind enough. _  
_"Who's that boy, over there?" _  
_"That's Enjolras. He's only fourteen, but he's leading this revolution."_  
_"Revolution?" I ask worriedly, fearing for my siblings._

_"Don't be scared," he says, "We've got this under control. I'm Marius, and you?" _  
_"I'm Eponine."_  
_"'Ponine!" someone shouts._

_"Azelma! Mon dieu, I was so worried! And you have Oliver?"_

_"Yes, I do. We're fine, 'Ponine, don't worry."_

_I sigh in relief._

_"Don't you ever do that again."_

_Then the boy- Enjolras- comes up to me._

_"Hello, I'm Enjolras," he says, extending his hand, "I'm fourteen years old. Are you here to join our revolution, brave sir?"_

_I stare at him in surprise. And then I look down at myself. I do look like a boy right now. I nicked a boy's clothes when mine got too tattered to wear, and my hair's tucked into my cap. I remove the cap and let my hair tumble down. It's very long. He steps back with a look of utter befuddlement on his face._

_"You-you're not a boy?"_  
_I start laughing, and he turns pink._

_"But- what are you doing in here, then?" _  
_"I'm but an ordinary street urchin- I came in to warm up."_

That day, I became close friends with Les Amis. I was especially close to Marius, Courfeyrac, and Joly. But not Enjolras. He stayed marble. He was courteous, but we were never that good friends. And then Enjolras found me lying in an alley with a knife wound across my face. That was when we broke each other's hearts.

**Should I include more flashbacks in the coming chapters, or should I have more action? I'd like your input. Thanks!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Cosette**

"There is a castle on a cloud. I like to go there in my sleep. Aren't any floors for me to sweep, not in my castle on a cloud."  
I'm sitting in the garden when I hear it. My lullaby. The haunting, beautiful tune, being sung by someone other than me. But who would know it? I stand up and go to the gate. I see a sillouette of a girl standing near it. She must be the one singing.

I slip out but remain near the gate so I remain in the shadows.

I then see the girl's face and stifle a gasp. Because this girl... I know her. I'm sure of it. But from where?  
_Eponine._

The name pops into my head.

Of course!

The Thenardier girl. I grew up with her. She was never kind to me, but when I look at her now, I can't help but feel sorry for her. Her dress is soiled and tattered. She has a scar across her face that seems fresh. And she's sobbing like her heart is broken.

"Eponine?"

She whips around. I step forward, but before I can say a word, she sends me a glare.  
"_You_."  
"What...? Eponine, are you alright?"

_"Get away from me." _

I step back nervously.

"What did I do?"  
"Don't pretend," she sneers, "You know exactly what you've done. "

"I don't. Eponine, let me help you."  
"Just think, Cosette, just think. Think about every rotten thing you've ever done to me..." and she sits down hard on the ground and bursts into tears.

"Eponine? What's the matter?"  
Through her tears, she sobs:  
"When my family was rotting, you were rich and tried to give us charity. You pitied us, do you have any idea of how bad that is to me? No, you don't, because you have never known living out on the streets. You left our house and came back to pity us, lord it over us."  
"No!" I can't believe she thinks this, "Eponine, no! You have it all wrong. I swear on my father's life that I never pitied you."

She barks out a laugh that lacks humor and puts her head down.  
"There was something else," she cries.

"What?"  
She mumbles something.  
"Pardon?"  
"Marius."

"Marius? What...?"  
"Don't be angry."

"Eponine... I don't understand? What do you mean?"  
"I mean... I can't say it aloud, not to you. Please understand."

What? I'm about to ask what she means again, when suddenly it clicks.  
"...Oh. That's what you mean. You love him, don't you?"  
She nods and sniffles, looking up. "Do you hate me?"  
"What? No! Why would I? It's not your fault! Love can't be controlled! You didn't choose to love him. Eponine, why would I hate you?"

She stares up at me.  
"Everyone else does."

"Eponine, no one hates you!"

She just looks at me for a second and then says in a harsh, dry tone,

"Really? Oh, yes, I'm sure Enjolras thinks I'm his best friend after he broke me out of jail and I told him to get out of my life. I said he was an idiot, nothing but a stupid burguoise boy who likes to play war. I told him he was concieted and self centered. No wonder he said what he did to me. He was right. Someone like him doesn't need to be entertaining a lousy urchin like me."

I listen, open-mouthed in shock.

"Eponine, you're wrong. You're a great person, and you're my friend."  
"No. I'm not your friend. I'm a gamin and you're a rich lady. Besides, I don't deserve a friend."

"Listen, Enjolras had no right to say what he did. None."  
"Cosette, you know I shouldn't have told him what I did either. And you also know that he's a good person underneath the marble exterior."  
I sigh.

"I know. But you're really a good person, too, and unfortunately I can't convince you that you are." I brighten and say, "Would you like to stay the night?"

**Phew! That took me forever to write. Please review! :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Joly**

The door to the cafe opens and swings shut with a bang. Enjolras walks in. It's raining out, and he's soaked. I walk up to him.

"Enjolras! Where were you? I've been looking all over-" and then I stop talking. Because I see tear tracks down his face.

"Are you all right? What happened?"  
He shakes his head and rushes upstairs. I follow him.

"Enjolras, please say something," I beg.

"What did I do?" he says. I look at him. He's sitting on the bed, staring out the window. He has tears in his eyes and a lost expression.  
"Joly, what did I do?" he repeats, "How could I have said something so awful to her?"  
I say nothing, having no idea what he's talking about. He keeps talking, though.

"Do you know what I said? Do you? I told her she was a lousy gamin and that I didn't have time for her. What sort of awful person am I?"  
I stare at him. Try as I might, I can't keep the disgust from creeping up inside me.

"You said _what_?"

He buries his head in his hands.  
"I know! You have every right to be disgusted with me. I don't know what came over me!"  
And he starts crying quietly. I can't help but feel bad for him. I sit down next to him and put my hand on his shoulder.

"Don't cry, you'll make yourself sick."  
"I couldn't help what I said. I was so angry."

And his whole story spills out.

By the end of it, I'm shocked at what people can do to each other. And then I think to myself, you should have seen that coming. It's true. Two people with such strong personalities... no wonder they would hurt each other. I'd bet anything Eponine is sobbing somewhere, broken, just like he is. They're so alike. I knew that from the day she walked into our cafe, looking for her siblings, and fooled him into thinking she was a boy. After that day, though he appeared oblivious, I could tell. He noticed her. I could see how painful it was to see her chasing after Marius when he didn't love her. I thought that of course they'd fall in love, because they're so alike. I didn't realize that it was a two way road, and they could break each other just as easily as they could help each other.  
"Enjolras, listen to me. You know she shouldn't have said what she did either, don't you?"

He nods.

"But I'm supposed to be able to deal with stuff like that! She's sensitive- you know about her parents!"  
"Look, you're not superhuman. No matter how hard you try, you can't deal with everything."

"But I have to. I need to be strong for the others."  
"No one expects you to."  
He looks up at me, and I can see how life has changed him. He's grown before his time. He's only eighteen, for god's sake, and already he looks as though he's tired of life.  
"Remember the day she came into the cafe? She had already been through so much. She doesn't deserve someone like me ruining her life. No matter how much I want to be there."  
"What are you saying?" I ask, aghast.  
"I won't speak to her. Never again. I'll withdraw from her life like I was never there."  
"Enjolras, do you understand how this would hurt her?"  
It would hurt him, too. I can see. He really does care for Eponine. I'd venture to say he loves her. It would break his heart.

"You can't do that," I say firmly, "You won't. Not while I have breath in my lungs. Say you won't."  
"Joly, I have to. Or I'll hurt her."  
"You not being in her life will hurt her even more. You know that."  
He shakes his head sadly, but I can see he's coming around, convincing himself. Because I know he doesn't want to do this.

"Fine. I won't. Because I need to make things right with her."  
I breath a sigh of relief. Enjolras lies down on the bed and goes to sleep. I sit on a box watching him until I drift off too.


	7. Chapter 7

**Enjolras**

My only dreams are of Eponine's tearful face. Needless to say, it's an incredibly fitful sleep. When I wake up, my pillow is wet with tears. Joly's gone. I look in the cracked mirror next to the bed. I look awful. Horrendous. My hair is tangled and sticking up everywhere, and my eyes are red and sore. I clean up as best as I can and go downstairs. But not before flipping the pillow over. I can't let anyone know I've been crying.

"Well, who's this?" exclaims Grantaire, "Sleeping beauty's up!"

His breath reeks of alcohol.

"Go away, Winecask, I don't have time for this. And how are you drunk already?"  
He just laughs and staggers away.

I roll my eyes and

"Enjolras!" Combeferre. "Just the man I need. We need to know when Lamarque's funeral is."  
Oh, god, Lamarque's funeral. The revolution.

"I... I don't know. I'll tell you when I find out."

Courfeyrac.

"Have you seen Gavroche anywhere?"  
"No. Check the elephant."  
I shake off everyone else and find Joly.

"Enjolras. Are you alright?"

"Yes," I lie.  
"You need to talk to Eponine."  
"I know."

"You look awful. Did you get any sleep last night?"

"Not much," I admit. "Look, Joly, I'm fine."

He sighs, seeing that his tactics aren't going to work on me.

"Enjolras, you need to eat something."

"I'm not hungry."  
He's about to protest when the door swings open. Everyone else is here- it must be Eponine.

But when I see the person who's storming into the cafe, I realize it's not.

It's another girl. She has blonde curls that are pinned up at the back of her head and blue eyes. She's wearing a pink dress with a skirt so big it parts the crowd. Her hat is massive as well and has a pink bow around it.  
She marches up to me and slaps me. Hard.

I bring my hand to my cheek.  
"What was that for?"

"You- dirty, rotten, stinking fool! You are the most insensitive idiot I have ever had the displeasure of knowing! Eponine is crying, for Christ's sake, and here you are drinking with your friends."  
"I-"  
She interrupts me.

"She came into my garden last night sobbing her eyes out! She told me everything. And now you better watch out, because I am going to make you pay," she says angrily.

I close my eyes. She's right. I deserve whatever this girl is going to do to me.

And then Joly steps forward. I stare at him. I've never seen him like this. His lips are pressed together, he's pale, his eyes are flaming, and he's shaking with supressed rage.

"Madmoiselle, if we could take this upstairs, I'd be much obliged. You stay here, Enjolras."

And they go upstairs.

****Joly

I stand in the attic room with her.

"You idiot. If you were a man, I'd kill you right now, you fool. Can't you see how it's hurting him? No, you can't because you're an idiot burguoise girl who has no idea of how other people feel. I'd be happy if you could withdraw your oversized nose from our business, and kindly leave this cafe," I hiss.

She glares at me.

"Your friend," she spits the word, "Is a insensitive fool who couldn't care less about Eponine. And Eponine is my friend. She told me about you, you know. She said you were so kind to her. And now you won't do a thing for her."

I stare, and my stomach churns with guilt. It's true, apart from that first moment of disgust at Enjolras, I didn't even think about Eponine's side in the matter.

"I-"  
"You see? You are all so absorbed in your revolution that you refuse to think about anyone else!"

I shake my head, pulling myself together.

"Enjolras is my friend too. I need to look out for him. And I won't allow you to hurt him."  
She raises her eyebrows.

"I was right. You don't care about Eponine."  
I press my hand to my forehead. I don't want to ask any favors of this girl, but I know I have to.

"Will you take me to her?"

I'm on the road, walking with this girl to her house.  
"What is your name?" I ask.

"Cosette."

"Marius' Cosette?" I exclaim, incredulously.

"If that's how you recognize me, then so be it."  
We continue the rest of the walk in silence. And then, Cosette stops.

We're in front of a beautiful little cottage. I wish Jehan could see it. I make a mental note to tell him all about it. It has a wild garden in front of it, and big ornately designed gates. The house itself is wonderful. It seems to emit a warm glow of happiness and family.

"Is this your house?"  
"Yes."  
"It's… gorgeous."  
"Thank you," she says, smiling at me.

She enters the house and beckons for me to follow.

I do.  
"She's upstairs. First room on the right."  
I nod.  
"Thank you so much for this, Cosette. Maybe I was wrong about you."  
And then I go up.

I take a deep breath and enter the room.

****

Tell me if you think there should be Joly/Cosette romance- or would that be too weird?  
Please review! :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Okay, so it seems like everyone thinks Joly/Cosette is way too weird. Also, I realized that Éponine's name has an accent over the E! So I've been spelling it wrong! Okay, well, I'll fix it now. On to the chapter.**

Éponine

I'm sitting on the bed when Joly comes in.

"Éponine?"  
I leap up.

"Joly." I stare at him. "Why are you here?"

"I needed to talk to you."  
I close my eyes and feel tears pricking at my eyelids, tears of hurt and guilt and sadness, because I know what he wants to talk about, and I've already made up my mind about it. I step back and sit down hard on the bed, covering my face with my hands.  
"Tell him I'm sorry. Tell him I'm leaving. I've made my decision. I think that would be the best thing."

His eyes widen.  
"No! Éponine, you can't do that!"  
"I have to."  
I'd resolved not to cry, but I can't help it now.

He sits down next to me and puts an arm around my shoulders.

"Éponine, you can't leave! We need you."  
I turn to him and take a deep breath. Then the words spill out, and before I know it, I'm telling him everything.

"Joly, there's a reason I need to leave. You see, the day I found Gavroche asleep on the roof was the first day I really met Enjolras."  
I tell him the whole story, from my terrifying dream about the barricades to my getting attacked to where we are now.  
"And, Joly, I have a problem now. Even though I know I love Marius, I feel like.. I love

Enjolras a little bit too. And I don't know why."  
Joly looks at me.  
"Éponine. That's not a problem."  
"But it is! Because Marius is the sweetest kindest person in the world, but I know he'll never love me, and there's Enjolras, who is a god brought down to earth who saved my life and was so kind to me. And I have to choose. What should I do?"  
"Well, that's the thing. It can only be one person you love. So who do you love?"  
I close my eyes and let the memories take over my mind.

Marius.

He was so kind to me. But he did other things too, bad things, like:

Looking at me with that smile that made me so happy, letting me fall for him, but then loving another. Leading me to believe he loved me, when all along he was using me to get to Cosette. Giving me his charity, treating me like I was a stupid gutter rat.

Enjolras.

He saved my life. He treated me like a human, an equal. He didn't act like I was an idiot. He did so much for me.  
And when I think about it, there's only one choice.

My eyes snap open.

"Enjolras. I love Enjolras, Joly. But you can't ever let him know."

**Short chapter, sorry, but very important! Please review!**


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